I need a Hero
by KamokuSenshi
Summary: Tohru is a princess, locked away in a tower, waiting for her hero. Kyo is a prince, unaccepted by his kingdom, searching for where he belongs. Together they may just find what they truly need. Each other.
1. Chapter 1

**I decided to make a longer version of the story since the original kind of seemed lame, not that this one is that much better, but I think it's an improvement. It ended up being kind of long so I split it into separate chapters. Hope you like it :)**

Long ago, there was once a happy couple, a king and queen. They were loved by all in their kingdom and when they finally had their first child everyone rejoiced. There was a huge celebration for the beautiful baby Tohru. Fireworks exploded into the sky. Festive music could be heard miles away. Everyone danced and laughed. Finally the king and queen stepped out of their castle to show their kingdom their new daughter. She was beautiful. She had thick brown hair, pale skin that glowed in the moonlight, and gorgeous bright blue eyes. She was perfect.

But happiness was not destined for the kingdom, for a witch watched the joyous celebration from afar with jealousy. She had been banished years ago by the king for causing harm to the townspeople. She was angered that the royal family had everything, while she had nothing. She decided to change that. She waited for her opportunity. Patiently, she waited for the royal family to make the wrong move. At last, three years later, they did. The king and queen left their princess in the castle with the servants, while they and over half of their soldiers went to sign a treaty with a neighboring kingdom. With them gone, the witch was ready to act. She set out in the middle of the night towards the castle, hiding herself with an invisibility potion. She climbed up the bricks on the castle and stepped onto the balcony of the princess's room. She saw the child sleeping peacefully and hurried over to her. She peered over at the sleeping child. Without wasting any time, she grabbed the girl and tied her up and slyly rushed out of the palace. The king and queen returned the next morning to find their precious child gone. They sent soldiers, they sent search dogs, they sent anyone who was willing to go, but the princess was never found.

The witch smiled at her achievement and looked down at the child. There were tear stains all over her face and she squirmed to release herself from her binds. The witch scowled at the child and wondered what to do with it. Feed it to the sharks? Drop it in the well? No. That was too easy. She would extract her revenge upon the kingdom by torturing this child for the rest of her life. She smirked at the possibilities and walked away into the woods, dragging the princess with her.

~_15 years later_

It was a day like any other. The sun was hiding behind a few clouds. The birds were singing. And a slight breeze was blowing. It was a day like any other indeed, especially for one girl. One girl with no past, and most likely, no future.

A young girl in tattered clothing sat at the edge of a window in a room in a tall tower. Years ago she had been placed there by an old wicked witch. She didn't know why. She didn't know what she had done to be punished like this. She only knew that she was in the mercy of the witch. She lived as a slave in that tower. Making extraordinary quilts and fragile, yet magnificent pots for the witch, whom would go sell them and not give a single penny to the maker of the wonderful works of art.

Her fingers had blisters from all the work, but the girl didn't complain. She did as she was told. She was grateful to the witch for bringing her food every now and then and giving her a roof to keep the rain out. She was happy with what she had. Or at least that's what she told herself. Deep down inside, she knew she was waiting for something more. Hoping that some miracle would come for her. The wind blew through her hair and she closed her eyes to feel the breeze on her face. She stepped on the windowsill and sang quietly to herself.

_Where have all the good men gone_

_And where are all the gods?_

_Where's the street-wise Hercules_

_To fight the rising odds?_

She stared out into the woods but saw what she always saw. Tall trees and a cloudy sky. She looked below and saw the thorny bushes growing below.

_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_

_Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need_

She went back and lay on her bed, her hands on either side of her head and her hair lying all around her. She closed her eyes and continued singing, slowly raising her voice, knowing that no one will hear her.

_I need a hero_

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_

_He's gotta be strong_

_And he's gotta be fast_

_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_

She felt a little silly singing such a song. She didn't have many memories from her childhood, but she did remember her mother telling her to always stay strong. She remembered her exact words. "Tohru, you have the power to do anything in the world. You never need to wait for someone else to help you. Just do what you think is right and you'll find happiness along the way." Yet, looking at where she was and her circumstances, being strong would only land her in more trouble.

_I need a hero_

_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_

_He's gotta be sure_

_And it's gotta be soon_

_And he's gotta be larger than life_

As she continued to sing, somewhere deep in the woods a prince rode his horse trying to find his way. He was Prince Kyo from the Sohma Kindgom. He had bright orange hair and eyes, tan skin, and a well toned body. He seemed like the ideal prince, but unfortunately, no one in his kingdom felt the same way. He was treated like an outcast and he had finally had it. He had left the kingdom to find somewhere else to live his life. Somewhere he could be free. Unfortunately, he had terrible luck and he had gotten lost on his way and was too stubborn to ask for directions so he mindlessly went back and forth through the woods.

_Somewhere after midnight_

_In my wildest fantasy_

_Somewhere just beyond my reach_

_There's someone reaching back for me_

Tohru's eyes began to feel droopy. After working for hours on quilts and pots, she was drained of her energy. She began to drift off to slumber land, but for some reason, she felt as if she needed to stay awake. She sat up and walked over to the window again.

_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_

_It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet_

Suddenly, Prince Kyo heard something. It was a beautiful voice melody being carried in the wind. He remembered his cousin mockingly telling him "curiousity killed the cat" the last time he had landed himself in trouble when he was lead astray by something out of the ordinary. Yet, he felt as if the music was meant for him, calling out to him. So he head out to discover the source of the tune.

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above_

_Out where the lightning splits the sea_

_I could swear that there's someone somewhere_

_Watching me_

Deciding that there was no point in staying up any longer, Tohru walked back to her bed and lay down on her side, placing her head on her arms, while she continued to look towards the window as if for some reason today would be different. As if today something would change despite the last 14 years of her life.

_Through the wind and the chill and the rain_

_And the storm and the flood_

_I can feel his approach_

_Like the fire in my blood_

Prince Kyo finally ended up in front of the tall menacing tower and he could hear the voice coming from it. He couldn't go forward because of the bushes, but he just had to know who was singing so incredibly.

"Hey, excuse me! Who's up there?"

Tohru sprang up and almost fell off the edge of her bed at the sudden voice. She sat on the edge of the bed very still at first, thinking it was just her imagination, but then it came again.

"Hello?"

Tohru got up. She was shaking and was very scared, but in her heart she was also excited. She hadn't seen anyone other than the witch for years, and even the witch hadn't come to see her for months. Who could this sudden guest be? She cautiously made her way to the window and peered out. Down below she saw a handsome man on a horse. Her eyes opened wide with shock.

"Hey up there!" Kyo yelled to her.

"Ummm…h-hi" Tohru slowly waved back at her visitor.

"What are you doing up there?"

"I…I…ummm…"

Kyo furrowed his brows at the girl's stuttering. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Well, is there any way up there?"

"I don't think so."

"Hmmm, let's see what I can do."

Kyo took out his sword and began clearing the pack before him. It wasn't easy and he got scratched on his legs, on his arms, and even on his face. But he continued with determination. He wasn't sure why he was doing this, but he kept going. When he was done he stood in front of the tower and wondered how he would get up. He tried climbing the bricks, but it was no good.

Tohry watched him struggle. She didn't know how the witch found her way up into the tower. She would come once every few months to give more rations of food and waer and to collect Tohru's work, but she always came and left while Tohru was asleep so she didn't know how she managed it. Fearing that the prince would hurt himself, she called out.

"Wait, I-I'll try to figure something out."

She went over to her beautifully made quilts. She took out a pair of scissors and began to cut one of them. She cut it into strips and made a rope out of it and tied it to the edge of her bed. She threw it over the window and saw the rope pull and Kyo started climbing it. Finally, he made it to the top and climbed onto the window. He slowly stepped off of the window, watching Tohru, who took a stepped back all the way to the wall and pressed herself against it, afraid once again. He stepped closer but stopped her Tohru flinched.

"Ummm…I'm Kyo. Who are you?"

"T-tohru."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you."

"Y-you, too. Oh! You're hurt!"

Kyo touched the scratches on his face.

"Oh it's fine really. I've been in way worse situations that this."

They awkwardly stared at each other for a while, until Tohru finally found the courage to speak again.

"Ummm…w-would you like something to eat? I don't have much, but if you're hungry, I have some leeks."

Kyo made a disgusted face a shook his head.

"No thanks, I just…well, I was just in the woods and heard you singing and…ummm, yeah."

Kyo scratched the back of his head in nervousness. It wasn't like Tohru was the most gorgeous girl he had ever seen, but there was something about her, something special. There was a long awkward silence between them that seemed to go on forever.

"You know, I should really be going," said Kyo while gesturing nervously to the window with both of his hands. "Sorry to bother you."

He turned on his heel and swung one leg over the window sill.

"Wait! Don't go!"

Kyo looked back at the girl.

"Please don't go."

"Oh, umm…I guess I could stay a while longer."

Silence fell between them again as the socially awkward teenagers stared at each other.

"Sooo, what do you do around here?"

Tohru smiled at the handsome man in front of her. She didn't know why, but something in her heart told her that a new chapter in her life had just begun.


	2. Chapter 2

Tohru and Kyo ended up talking for hours. Kyo was surprised to find out that Tohru was actually a princess. Tohru was shocked to find out that Kyo hated cats.

"But they're so cute!"

"Annoying little pests if you ask me."

She was nervous at first, but Tohru strangely felt really comfortable around this mysterious guest. She wasn't sure why she had asked him to stay, but she was glad she did. Kyo found himself blushing as he spoke to Tohru. Finally, they looked at the sky through the window and saw that it was dark.

"Oh, I should head back now"

"Oh, ok. But wear this. It'll keep you warm on your way back."

Tohru wrapped a scarf she had knitted around his neck.

" I can't leave you here all by yourself. Come with me."

"W-what? No it's ok!"

"No, really. From what you've told me about your past, you may actually be the long lost princess from the Honda Kingdom. I can take you there."

"Honda Kingdom? I don't know. I don't remember much about my family. I do know I was a princess based on what the witch has told me, but I don't remember my family's name or even what my parents look like for that matter."

"Well, it doesn't hurt to check. Who knows, maybe I was destined to find you here and take you back home with me."

Tohru looked up at him with her big, blue eyes.

"I-I mean, take you back to your home. Either way, it's better than staying here for the rest of your life."

Tohru sighed and shook her head.

"I promised the witch that I would never leave the place. Never. It was a deal, to protect my parents. She's kept her promise up till now and I can't let that change."

"But…if you really are Princess Honda, then that promise isn't even valid anymore. The King and Queen died years ago, drowned in their grief of losing their daughter."

"What? No, that can't be! My parents are still alive!"

"How do you know? How do you know the witch didn't just lie to you?"

"How can you say that!" Tohru turned away from the man. "I think it would be better if you just left!"

"What? You told me to stay in the first place and now you're telling me to get lost?"

"Please. Just go."

"If that's what you want princess."

Kyo climbed out of the window angrily and rode away on his horse. Tohru watched him ride away and turned around to go to bed.

* * *

><p>Kyo ended up going back to the Sohma kingdom and King Akito gave a piece of his mind for causing unnecessary trouble. When he was finally done, Kyo went back to his quarters and lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling.<p>

"You're like a cat that just wanders off and comes back only when it pleases."

Kyo turned to look at his cousin, Prince Yuki, standing in the doorway.

"And you're like a rat, a pest that just won't go away."

"What, that's it? Usually you would attack me for just saying that."

Kyo sighed.

"I met a girl while I was gone. We talked for a long time, but we kind of got into a little fight at the end. Now I just can't get my mind off her."

"It's just like you to get a girl pissed at you in one day."

"Will you shut up! I'm really confused right now, ok!"

"Then go back."

"Excuse me?"

"Go back to her."

Saying that, Yuki left. Kyo sat up and stared at the doorway. The he quickly stood up and rushed out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Kyo stood in front of the tower once again. It was the same tower, in the same place. But there was something different about it. There were bars on the window.

"Tohru!"

Kyo waited for a while and then he heard her along with chains being dragged.

"Kyo? Is that you?"

"Yes, but what happened to you?"

"…the witch came back. She saw that the thorns had been cleared and asked me about it. I told her that someone had visited me, so…"

"So she chained you up like a prisoner?"

"Kyo. You should leave. I don't want her to hurt you."

"Tohru, I went to the Honda kingdom before I came here. I asked the name of the lost princess."

"…what was it?"

"Tohru. It was Tohru."

Kyo could hear slight weeping sounds coming from the tower.

"Tohru, don't cry. I'll get you out of there."

"No, I'm fine here. Don't worry about me."

"Tohru, listen to me. I'll get you out! I just need to figure out how to. You don't know any way up there?"

Tohru was silent. It was not in her nature to lie.

"Tohru, you do know, don't you."

"Kyo it doesn't matter. She'll find me wherever I go."

"Just let me. Please."

Tohru sighed in defeat.

"I saw how the queen got out the last time she came. Since I'm chained she didn't care if I saw. There's a trap door in here, but I don't know where it leads to outside."

"Hmmm…I know!"

Kyo took off his scarf that he was still wearing and ushered over Prince Shigure's dog, whom he had brought with him. He had the dog smell the scent. The dog began to sniff around and finally came to a halt by a boulder. Kyo pushed the boulder out of the way and saw a tunnel going don't.

"Don't worry princess, your prince is almost there." Kyo whispered to himself.

He climbed down the tunnel and found a set of stairs. He was wobbly and exhausted by the time he got to the top. He pushed open the trap door on the top and found himself in the tower in front of a chained Tohru.

"Tohru!"

Kyo rushed over.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out!"

Tohru stared at the man in front of her, struggling to get her freedom for her.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I haven't even freed you yet."

"No. Thank you giving me a reason to smile. A reason to be happy."

Kyo's face suddenly turned beet red and he started to stutter a bunch of gibberish.

"Kyo?" Tohru and Kyo turned towards the source of the voice.

Yuki was standing there. Halfway in through the trapdoor. He sighed in relief.

"Hey guys! I found the idiot!"

"Who you calling an idiot! And who are you talking to? Why are you even here?"

"You never listen to anything anyone ever tells you. I tell you to go back to your girlfriend without even being serious and you just run off!"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

Tohru made a hurt face, but she tried to cover it up with an awkward smile. Kyo caught it though.

"No, no! I didn't mean…not that I wouldn't want you to be my girlfriend…I mean, not that I'm interested in you or anything…not that I couldn't be interested, because you are very interesting…wait, I mean, she what you did you rat!" Kyo looked angrily at his cousin who was smirking at the entire scene. He came forward and in a gentlemanly manner introduced himself to Tohru.

Tohru actually blushed at the charm of Prince Yuki, exploding a rage of jealousy in Kyo. Kyo let go of Tohru's chains.

"Well, since Mr. Perfect is here now, there's no need for me anymore." Kyo got up and walked towards the table.

"Wait! Kyo!"

"It's Prince Kyo to you! I should have known. You're just the same as everyone else. I wish I had never even met you!"

"But Kyo, what did I d…"

"Just shut up!"

"Kyo! Please!" Tohru painfully watched him ignore her and leave.

"Don't mind him. He's just an idiot, but he's also very special, but I don't think I need to tell you that."

Yuki called up the soldiers that had come with him to free the imprisoned girl. The chains left red marks all over her body, but that was not what was hurting the most. She clutched her heart in fear that it would break.

Tohru told Prince Yuki how Kyo thought she was the lost princess of the Honda Kingdom. Yuki decided to take her there and find out for sure. They finally made it to the Honda Kingdom by sunrise. The King recognized her right away. He thanked the prince for finding his granddaughter and asked what he could do to repay him, but he said nothing was needed and that he was glad to help. Tohru was devastated to learn that her parents had indeed passed away, but her grandfather promised to take good care of her. He took her inside the castle, but before going inside, Tohru turned one last time to see if Kyo was there. He wasn't. She waved good bye to Yuki and went inside her new home.


	4. Chapter 4

Kyo stood by a lake kicking rocks into the water. He always liked coming here since he was a kid.

"That was really immature you know."

Kyo turned and let out a low growl as he saw his cousin.

"Go away!"

"Getting jealous so easily and just blowing up on the girl like that. Seriously, what were you thinking?"

"After everything I tried to do for her, she just…"

"She what? She didn't do anything."

"I saw the way she looked at you!"

"You're so stupid! Well, whatever. Just don't run off again. King Akito will be angry. Then we'll all have to hear about it."

Kyo watched his cousin leave and turned back around, fuming with anger. He looked into the water at his reflection. He wasn't ugly. In fact, he was pretty good looking. But he didn't have that natural grace and charm like everyone else in the Sohma kingdom. The Sohma kingdom. Other than Princess Kagura, they all hated him. Tohru was the first person to make him feel wanted. And he just took all his frustration out on her.

Kyo dropped down to sit on the ground. He pulled the grass with his fingers.

"I'm such a creep."

* * *

><p>Tohru sat by her window, in her new bedroom, staring at the bright moon. Within a few days her fate had changed so much. So then why wasn't she happy?<p>

"Well hello my little princess."

Tohru jumped and looked around. She knew that voice. She didn't see anyone around. She turned back to the window and gasped. There on the window sill sat a beautiful young woman. She had luscious black hair. Creamy white skin. Thick red lips. Bright green eyes. But despite this beauty, the ugliness beneath her skin wasn't hidden very well. You could see the evil burning in her eyes. The narcissism in her smile.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"What you ask? Well, you broke our deal my dear."

"No. No! You lied! My parents died a year after you took me, so I never had a reason to stay there."

"Don't you dare speak to me in that tone!" The witch slapped Tohru across her face.

Tears came to Tohru's eyes from the pain.

"Hmmm…but you're right actually. Your parents did die, but I'm still not satisfied. My revenge isn't over yet. Not if you end up living 'happily ever after'." The witch said the last part in a mocking tone.

"So why don't you just kill me and finish the job?"

"No, too easy. But there is another thing I can do." The witch pulled Tohru's face up, holding her chin, and smiled.

"I want to see you suffer like I suffered. I want you to lose everything."

"What else do you plan to take from me? This kingdom? My grandfather? "

"Nope. That prince. Little Kyo Kyo."

Tohru's eyes widened.

"Ooh. Bingo! Yep. He's going to have to be punished for letting you out of that tower." The witch pulled Tohru closer and whispered in her ear. "I'm going to kill him."

"No!"

Tohru turned and grabbed the closest thing she could grab, which was a vase, but the witch was already gone. Tohru dropped the vase and it shattered, leaving cuts all over her feet. But she couldn't feel any of it. She was numb with fear.

"Princess!" A maid rushed to her side to help clean her wounds, but Tohru's world was spinning. _I'm going to kill him_. She grabbed her maid's shoulder.

"I need to go to the Sohma kingdom."

"But princess…"

"I need to go now! Or else…Kyo!"


	5. Chapter 5

Tohru jumped off of her carriage and ran towards the gates of the castle.

"Kyo! Prince Yuki!"

"Hey stop! Who are you?"

A guard grabbed Tohru's arm.

"Princess Honda?"

"Prince Yuki!"

"Let go of her!"

The guard let go, apologizing and left.

"Princess Honda, what's wrong?"

"Where's Kyo?"

"He never came back. He might still be by the lake."

"We need to go to him!"

Tohru told Yuki what had happened and they immediately left to go find Kyo along with several soldiers. They arrived at the lake but Kyo was nowhere to be found. They split up and started searching for him. Tohru ended up going deep into the woods and before she knew it, she couldn't see Yuki or the soldiers anymore.

"Kyo?...Kyo?"

Suddenly Tohru heard a thud. She quickly dashed towards the sounds. She ended up in a clearing, but she wasn't there alone. There was Kyo, on the ground, and the witch standing in front of him.

"No, leave him alone!"

"Why should I?"

"This doesn't have anything to do with him!"

"Why do you care so much about this little waste of space anyway?"

"He's not a waste of space!"

"Oh, but he is. Left alone. Abandoned by his own parents."

Tohru saw Kyo clench his fists.

"Nobody wants him. His own parents hated him. He was lucky that King Kazuma took him and that that Kind Akito allowed this filthy thing to stay at the kingdom when he came to power."

"Shut up!" Kyo roared at the witch.

"I know the truth hurts, but facts are facts. Let me guess, you've fallen for this princess haven't you? Haven't you? Well, you're not suitable for her. Prince Yuki would be so much better."

"Just shut up!" Kyo charged towards the witch, but she easily threw him aside, against a tree with a bang.

"Kyo!" Tohru ran towards him and sat him up straight. His forehead was bleeding and eyes were drooping.

The witch let out a laugh.

"Now princess. Watch as I kill you little prince in front of your eyes. If only you hadn't left that tower."

"No!" Tohru stood in front of Kyo, with her arms spread out.

"I won't let you hurt him. He's not a waste of space. Kyo is special. In the few days I've known him, I've learned that he has a heart of gold. It's fragile and easily hurt, but it's pure."

Kyo looked up at the girl uttering these beautiful words for him. "Tohru," he quietly whispered to himself.

"Don't you dare try to stop me! You're parents ruined my life. Everyone in that kingdom hated me and then I was banished. Why should I be the only one to live my life alone?"

Suddenly a crunching sound was heard. The witch turned around and saw Prince Yuki standing there and soldiers running towards her. They threw spears at her, but she was unfazed by it, until one cracked the charm around her neck.

"Oh no! My necklace!" The witch clutched the charm and fell to the floor. Her perfect skin began to wrinkle. Her voice began to crackle. Her hair started turning white. Tohru rushed over to her and grabbed her hand.

"Don't…don't touch me!"

No matter how much she tried to push her away, Tohru wouldn't budge.

"You locked me up in a tower, you separated me from my parents, you treated me like a slave…but I always saw you as a mother."

The witch looked up at her, shock in her eyes.

"You would come to visit me, feed me, gave me clothes to keep me warm. Isn't that what mothers do? You may not know it, but I think deep down inside you had a soft spot for me, too. That's why you never could kill me. You kept me close and safe. I've already lost my parents. You don't leave me, too. I'm sure we can become great friends."

At that moment, the witch's face changed. Her eyes looked softer than they had ever looked before. She reached up a hand and placed it on Tohru's cheek. And then it fell back down as she died with a smile on her face. Tohru looked at the dead body in her arms and wept. Kyo stumbled over to her and fell on his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her.

_~10 years later_

A happy couple sat together in a garden on a swing. They watched their little five year old daughter run back and forth as they swung with the wind. Tohru looked at Kyo and smiled, knowing that she was where she belonged, with her hero. Kyo looked at Tohru and smiled, knowing that he was where he belonged, with his hero.

And they lived happily ever after.


End file.
